Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Answer of 21 April 2022 to Question 153690, on Southampton Hospital: Parking, what guidance is in place on the provision of free hospital car parking for people with long-term conditions like cystic fibrosis who are frequently attending appointments or receiving ongoing care from hospitals, such as Southampton General.

NHS car parking guidance 2022 for NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts’ provides guidance on the provision of free hospital car parking for in-need groups. This defines these groups, which includes frequent outpatient attenders. While the definition of ‘frequent outpatient attenders’ is not determined by a particular illness or condition, patients who attend hospital for an appointment at least three times within a month and for an overall period of at least three months will be eligible for free hospital car parking. The guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles

More than 97% of National Health Service trusts which charge for car parking have implemented free parking for those with greatest need.